Sunday News #40
Feeling
I’m feeling proud of myself. My SUDS (Subjective Units of Distress Scale) when I started my first memory in PTSD therapy was about 95, on a scale between 1 and 100 with 100 being the most distress. It’s now around 36. When I related the memory to my therapist last week, there was no visual distress. That’s a huge improvement! I can also be dialectical about what happened instead of just fearful, angry, disgusted, and sad.
Tomorrow, we start working on another memory. My therapist said that it probably won’t take nearly as long as the first one did to get to a tolerable distress level. I can actually see a light at the end of the tunnel.
Blogging
This week on the blog:
Reading
Surprise, surprise, I didn’t read much this past week thanks to the pain caused by the pinched nerve I mentioned last week. There’s no way I could concentrate while I was in as much pain as I was. Hopefully, next week I can get back to THE UNDERTAKING OF HART OF MERCY.
I finished listening to the TWILIGHT audiobook. It was a lot of fun. I’ll start listening to the NEW MOON audiobook tomorrow.
Listening
Every time I rewatch the TWILIGHT movies, I’m reminded how much I enjoy the music in NEW MOON. I love the minor key and I’ve been listening to the score non-stop. Even if you’re not a fan of the movies or books, you can appreciate the music. For your listening pleasure, here’s “Full Moon” by Alexandre Desplat.
Watching
Corey and I finished bingeing COMMUNITY this week. It was bittersweet. The last season isn’t nearly as good as the previous one, and it was still hard to say goodbye to all the actors/characters. I’m excited and intrigued about the movie they’re currently working.
As indicated above, I also watched all five TWILIGHT movies. They start out rough, but I like both Breaking Dawn movies, especially the ending of Part 2.
We also watched THE INVITATION and I thought it was really good. I really enjoyed the modern take on the DRACULA tale. The movie’s a lot like READY OR NOT with Samara Weaving only with vampires.
After watching THE INVITATION, we watched READY OR NOT since they’re similar. READY OR NOT is highly underrated and I recommend it! For those of you who aren’t familiar with it, it’s a horror movie containing dark humor. Here’s the trailer:
Loving
I love my chiropractor. I’ve been in so much pain because of my pinched nerve. I couldn’t sleep properly and nothing seemed to relieve the pain until my adjustment on Friday. He uses a special machine to align the neck and spine by gently tapping your vertebrae into place. He’ll also manually adjust when it’s necessary, which it was. My neck was very locked up, he said. I also had STEM therapy on my shoulder and ultrasound therapy on my neck.
My pinched nerve area–arm and shoulder blade–is still sore, but not like it was. It’s now bearable. I can sleep and enjoy life again. I’m going back on Monday and Wednesday and I’m getting a massage on Wednesday too.
Wanting
I want to buy a shirt for Halloween. I have a sweatshirt with Jack Skellington on it, but it’s still too warm to wear it. Maybe I’ll look for a regular T-shirt with Jack on it.
Needing
I need to get ready for NaNoWriMo. I’ve always wanted to participate, but I’ve never had the time, energy, or story idea to do it. This time, I think I have all three.
How was your week? Anything exciting happen?
I’m so glad your therapy is working out and making you feel better. I’ve never been to a chiropractor, but I know so many people who have really been helped by them and I’m glad yours is helping you. I loved that Twilight music, it’s been so long since I’ve seen the movie, I forgot how pretty it is.
Thanks, Wendy! 😀 I started going to a chiropractor about ten years ago and I’ve been hooked ever since. They are miracle workers! I don’t think they can cure everything like a lot of people do, but I do think they can cure pinched nerves much faster and easier than a regular doctor. 😀 I’m glad you enjoyed the music. It really is beautiful!
So glad things are looking up! As you can move and think more easily/clearly, hopefully reading time will increase/improve as well. Thanks for stopping by! (and I DID enjoy my Puerto Vallarta vacation :))
Terrie @ Bookshelf Journeys
Thanks, Terrie! 😀 I am too. I think getting fixed physically and mentally will also help me want to get back to reading. I’m glad you had fun on your vacation!
That is awesome! Good for you. 🙂
I want to watch Ready Or Not, it looks awesome.
I’ve always wondered about chiropractors, I’ve never been to one but they really seem to help people. Glad you were able to get some relief.
Hope you have a great week ahead!!
Thanks, Greg! 😀 I hope you enjoy READY OR NOT when you get a chance to watch it. I’ve been going to a chiropractor for ten or so years. They’re not all made equal. The current one I have, though, is amazing.
You are making such great progress with your PTSD. That’s definitely wonderful news! Hope you have a good week!
Thanks, Tessa! I’m very excited about all the progress I’ve/I’m made/making. 😀
So happy that the chiropractor could lessen the pain! That allows you to concentrate on and enjoy other things! I’m still searching for some “feel good” films. I tend to go for the cooking shows like the Great British Baking Show and I need to find some decent series to watch.
Thanks, Margaret! 😀 Me too! Feel good films … hmmm. I love rom-coms for feel-good films. I’m not sure if you’re into those or not. If you are, I can recommend a few.
I like the cooking/baking competition shows too. Right now, I’m watching the current season of Hell’s Kitchen. (I <3 Gordon Ramsey.) I’m also watching the Halloween Baking Championship, which is always a blast!
Wow, your SUDs score is a huge improvement. I’m so happy to hear that PTSD therapy has been going well.
All the best with your new therapy goals.
Sorry to hear the pinched nerve was making it hard to concentrate but I hope it becomes more tolerable soon.
Take care and have a wonderful week!
It is. 😀 I’m very happy as about it as well. Hopefully, the two other memories won’t be as difficult to get through.
Thank you, Sara! Fortunately, I went to the chiropractor again on Monday and today and my nerve is doing so much better. I can tell there’s still something amiss because my arm and fingers tingle. But, I’ll take the tingling over the pain any day. 😀
Hey,
Am happy to read that you are doing better in relating PTSD memories 🙂 I wish you best of luck in Nanowrimo and I also wish you luck in getting back to reading too. I am sorry you are still suffering from pinched nerve and am hoping that it could leave you alone. Hope your week will go better!
Thank you, Svetlana. Or, I should say спасибo. 😀 Fortunately, the pinched nerve is doing much better today. I went to the chiropractor again on Monday and today. I can tell there’s still something amiss because my arm and fingers tingle, but I’ll take the tingling over the pain any day.
I’m so pleased to hear that the therapy is going well – your hard work and perseverance are paying off. Good luck with NaNoWriMo!
Thanks, Louise! 😀 I’m very excited and happy about it as well. It’s nice to be able to see the improvement and change in my mental health journey.
I’m so glad your stress level is improved but even more than you have gotten some relief to your pain. Chiropratic and physical therapy are valuable in improving those kinds of issues.
Thanks, Anne! 😀 Me too! I whole-heartedly agree about chiropractic and physical therapy. Even though they’re sometimes painful while doing it, they definitely make a difference afterward.
Glad to here your having great success with your PTSD therapy. Hope your pinched nerve gets better soon!
Have a great week!
Stormi
Thank you, Stormi! 😀 Fortunately, my pinched nerve is doing much better. I went to the chiropractor again on Monday and today. I can tell there’s still something amiss because my arm and fingers tingle, but I’ll take the tingling over the pain any day.
I’m toying with the idea of doing NaNoWriMo too this year, since I’m still not working. I haven’t done any creative writing in a long time though, so I’m not sure I’d actually manage a whole novel, but if I don’t so it this year, I never will.
I hope you do join, Ellie! 😀 If you do we should be friends on the NaNoWriMo website so we can encourage each other as we write.
Glad your strees level and pain has eased up!
I had never watched Community but a while back my son told me it was hilarious so I said I’d try it. I was hooked right away and binged it. I was so sad when I watched the last episode 🙁
Thanks, Vicki! 😀 Me too.
I’m glad you enjoyed COMMUNITY as much as I did. It’s such a great show. I was sad about the last episode too. I’m excited for the movie that’s in the works. 😀
Sounds like therapy is going really well and you’re making great progress. Congratulations!!
Thanks, Tanya! 😀 It really is going well. It makes doing it and enduring all the stress and everything else worth it.
Congrats on your progress in PTSD therapy, that is amazing! Hope that pinched nerve will be over completely soon, thankfully the chiropractor is helping you. Oh, rewatching the Twilight movies does seem like a fun idea!
Thanks, Lindsey! 😀 I really appreciate it! Fortunately, my pinched nerve is doing much better. I went to the chiropractor again on Monday and today. I can tell there’s still something amiss because my arm and fingers tingle, but I’ll take the tingling over the pain any day.
If you do rewatch the Twilight movies, I hope you have as much fun as I did. 😀 I make my way through them every six months or a year and it brings me a lot of joy!